2026 Survey on Japanese Brand Perception and Purchasing Behavior in Vietnam: Future Purchase Intention at 98%

◆ Survey Findings (Summary)

◆ Japanese brands ranked in the top 3 in almost all categories except fashion and restaurants.
Overwhelming support was seen in home appliances (98%) and motorcycles/scooters (96%).

◆ High interest in Japanese products/services overall at 96% (T2B: Top 2 Box), with favorability at an extremely high 100% (T2B).

◆ The primary reason for favorability is 'Product Quality' (NET 89%).
Strong trust exists in their durability and high quality.

◆ Top 3 purchase barriers: 'High price (62%),' 'Concerns about fakes and counterfeits (55%),' and 'Not knowing where to buy (27%).'

◆ Future purchase intention is an overwhelming 98% (T2B).
Established trust directly translates to future purchasing desire.

◆ Top 5 information sources: 'Word of mouth (friends, acquaintances, family),' 'Google Search,' 'Facebook,' 'In-store information/POP displays,' and 'E-commerce platforms.'

[Survey Overview]
Method: Face-to-face interviews by researchers
Target Audience: Males and females aged 18-49 residing in Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City)
Valid Responses: 150 (75 in Hanoi, 75 in Ho Chi Minh City)
Survey Date: April 2026
Conducting Agency: Neo Marketing Inc. (Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market)

Brand Preference by Country: Japan in the Top 3 for 9 categories, excluding fashion and restaurants.
Which country's brand, product, or service they would choose when purchasing/using:
(Ranked by highest selection rate for Japan)
* Respondents: All (n=150)

Japanese brands entered the top 3 in 10 categories, excluding fashion (4th, 41%) and restaurant chains (4th, 62%). Support in home appliances (98%) and motorcycles/scooters (96%) was particularly overwhelming, creating a large gap with other countries.

Vietnamese and South Korean brands dominate in Fashion and Restaurants.
For fashion/apparel, Vietnam, South Korea, and China ranked highly, with Japan placing 4th at 41%. Similarly, for restaurant chains, Vietnam, South Korea, and Thailand led, indicating that these are categories where Japanese brands have relatively large room for penetration.

Brand Image: Japanese brands received top ratings in all areas except cost.
'Which country's brand/product applies' to each image attribute:
(Top 10 and bottom 1 attributes based on Japan's selection rate)
* Respondents: All (n=150)

Respondents were asked multiple choices on which country's brand/product applies to each attribute. Japanese brands recorded the highest scores in quality-related attributes such as 'Durability,' 'Quality,' 'Technology,' 'Reliability,' and 'Safety.' They ranked first in 15 out of 16 attributes.

Only 'Affordability' scored low at 21%. Cost perception is the brand's weak point.
The only low score was for 'Affordability' at 21%, with Vietnam (95%), China (83%), and Thailand (82%) ranking higher. The image of 'High quality but expensive' is deeply ingrained for Japanese brands, and the price barrier causes a gap between purchase intention and actual purchasing behavior.

Interest Level in Japanese Products/Services: 96% 'Interested' (T2B)
Interest level in Japanese products, services, and content overall
* Respondents: All (n=150)

Interest Level
Overall (n=150) / Hanoi (n=75) / Ho Chi Minh City (n=75)
Very Interested: 42% / 44% / 40%
Somewhat Interested: 54% / 56% / 52%
Neither: 4% / 0% / 8%
T2B (Sum of 'Very' and 'Somewhat Interested'): 96% / 100% / 92%
Average Score (Out of 5): 4.4 / 4.4 / 4.3

The combined T2B of those 'Very interested' (42%) and 'Somewhat interested' (54%) in overall Japanese products, services, and content is extremely high at 96%. In Hanoi, 100% of respondents answered they were interested. It was confirmed that interest in Japanese content has spread widely.

Reason for Favorability: Trust in product quality is the strongest motivator.
Favorability towards Japanese products, services, and content overall
* Respondents: All (n=150)

Favorability
Overall (n=150) / Hanoi (n=75) / Ho Chi Minh City (n=75)
Like very much: 49% / 56% / 41%
Like: 51% / 44% / 59%
T2B (Sum of 'Like very much' and 'Like'): 100% / 100% / 100%
Average Score (Out of 5): 4.5 / 4.6 / 4.4